


Big Brothers

by ala



Series: Lokisson [3]
Category: Thor (2011)
Genre: F/M, Kid Fic, Self-Indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-25
Updated: 2012-03-25
Packaged: 2017-11-02 12:04:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/368785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ala/pseuds/ala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thor shares the secrets of the most ancient and honorable position of elder brother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Big Brothers

**Author's Note:**

> Made better by [Peripetia](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Peripeteia/pseuds/Peripeteia).
> 
> All mistakes and general horribleness belong to me. 
> 
> In my head this exists in the same continuity as _[Alternate Uses for Leftovers](http://archiveofourown.org/works/230127)_ and _[Golden Slumbers](http://archiveofourown.org/works/251429)_.

Jane met him at the door when he returned from New York. One look at the worried expression on her face and Thor tensed, instantly on alert and scanning the lab behind her for danger.  
  
“Jane, what has happened to upset you?”  
  
She bit her lip and stared determinedly at his epaulet.  
  
“I can’t find Ullr,” she blurted out in a rush, “I’ve looked every where I can think of but there’s no sign of him and I think he ran away and when Sif finds out she is going to kill me!” She snuck a glance to determine his reaction.  
  
“Ullr?” Thor asked, caught on the first bit of information. “What is my nephew doing on Earth?”  
  
Jane began to pace, gesticulating wildly as she explained.  
  
“Hogun dropped him off a few hours ago. Sif’s gone into labor and Frigga thought it would be best if he was out of the way for a little while because of the whole ‘Sif breaking Loki’s hand after thirty-two hours of labor’ thing when he was born. I made him a sandwich and put in a movie and then I sort of got distracted processing last night’s atmospheric data—which showed some very interesting anomalies relevant to that paper I was telling you about—but when I came back to check on him he was gone!” Her voice rose steadily as she spoke so that by the last word she was almost yelling.  
  
Thor relaxed. “Jane,” he gathered her in his arms in an attempt to comfort her, “he is a prince of Asgard. I’m sure he’s fine. Loki and I used to wander off all the time when we were children without coming to harm, and there are far more dangerous things lurking in the shadows of Asgard than there are in the deserts of New Mexico.”  
  
Jane wiggled out of his embrace and glared up at him.  
  
“That’s because your mother _can see the future_ , Thor. She knew where you were and if you were safe! Ullr is _five years old_ and about to become a big brother which I am told can be very stressful— _never mind about you and Loki you were an infant when Loki was born_ — ” Thor shut his mouth before he could get a word out— “so _find him_ and _comfort_ him and bring him back because I have no doubt that childbirth or no, Sif is going to kill me when she finds out, and never mind what your brother will do.”  
  
Thor decided not point out that Ullr would probably show up again when he was hungry. The little boy had an appetite to rival Volstagg’s. He also had lungs like a banshee and Heimdall for an uncle; if he were truly in trouble they would know about it by now. However, if Ullr’s absence upset Jane then he would find his nephew to make her at ease. He would, after all, do anything to make her happy.  
  
“My dearest Jane,” he began, knowing that his most formal speech never failed to make her smile, “I will do everything in my not inconsiderable power to ensure that our nephew is returned here without harm.”  
  
Jane’s lips twitched but she still looked anxious.  
  
“I will hold that to you god of thunder,” she replied solemnly. “Now go find him. It’s cold outside.” She motioned for him to lean down and gave him a quick kiss before heading back to her lab.  
  
Thor contemplated where he and Loki would have hidden when they were boys, and where Jane would have searched. Resolutely, he climbed the stairs to the roof. Outside the temperature hovered just above freezing in the midst of a New Mexico February, but Ullr was the son of a frost giant and thrived in the cold. Sure enough, back against the silent air conditioning unit and knees tucked under his chin, sat Ullr.  
  
“Ullr,” Thor announced in his most commanding voice, “you have made Jane worry. You must come down and apologize for upsetting her.”  
  
The boy’s eyes widened as his uncle approached.  
  
“Yes sir,” he mumbled, but didn’t make any attempt to get up. Thor tried to remember when last Ullr had called him ‘sir,’ and came up short. Something was definitely wrong. Thor had never claimed to be particularly perceptive, but it was clear to him that the boy’s five year old frame radiated misery. Perhaps there had been some truth to Jane’s fears, and Ullr was anxious about the arrival of his new sibling.  
  
Immediately softening his expression, Thor folded his massive frame in order to sit beside Ullr.  
  
“To be an elder brother is a great task. You will be the one to protect your new sibling and teach him the ways of the world. It’s an honor, and it’s fun.” Thor winked at his nephew. Ullr stayed uncharacteristically taciturn.  
  
“Tell me Ullr, are you worried about your duties as a brother?”  
  
“No sir.” Silence.  
  
A thought occurred to him.  
  
“Are you worried about your mother Ullr? Because she is the strongest person I know, in all the realms. Why, she was back in the training ring a mere month after you were born, and nary a warrior could best her. Even me.”  
  
Ullr looked up at him with wide hazel eyes, and slowly shook his head. Thor realized too late that if Ullr hadn’t been concerned about his mother’s well-being before, he was now. Sensing that guessing would get him nowhere (and wasn’t Ullr just like Loki in that regard?) he opted for a more direct approach.  
  
“Ullr, what is troubling you so?”  
  
Ullr looked torn between wanting to share everything on his mind and keeping a shameful secret.  
  
“Yesterday Mama broke the dishes,” the confession was scarcely audible.  
  
This was hardly an uncommon occurrence. Thor remembered in great detail the day Sif had told Loki she was expecting Ullr.  
  
“She wasn’t touching them. She and Father were yelling about something and she waved her hand and all the cups and plates broke.”  
  
This was slightly more unusual.  
  
“And?” Thor prompted.  
  
“Father told Mama that it wasn’t her doing it but the baby, and that he knew that the baby would be strong in magic.” Ullr looked up at his uncle expectantly, tears welling up in his eyes.  
  
“‘Tis a rare occurrence for Aesir to be so gifted in the magical arts,” Thor ventured, still not certain what the problem was. He had always thought it rather brilliant that his little brother could use magic to aid them in their daring adventures.  
  
“Yeah but what if they love him more because he can do magic? Father tried to teach me and, and I couldn’t even do the little spell!” The tears that had threatened overflowed and dripped down his nose. Thor lifted the boy up so that they were face to face, Ullr sitting on his knee.  
  
“Your mother cannot do magic Ullr, and yet your father does not love her less. I too have no gift for the magic arts and yet Loki calls me brother. Neither your father or your mother will stop loving you nor love you any less because your new sibling has magical ability.”  
  
Ullr sniffed loudly, not convinced.  
  
“But I want to be like Father,” he whimpered. Thor had a sudden recollection of the summer Loki had practiced with a sword for hours on end, day after day, all because Odin had said that thrown knives were best left to women and magic to cowards.  
  
“And your father wants you to be like you,” he countered firmly. “What did he do when you couldn’t do the spell?” He was confident that the answer would be positive; Loki was twice the father Odin was.  
  
“He,” Ullr swiped his sleeve across his nose and sniffed, “taught me how to climb the cherry tree near the garden gate so I can hide in it and shoot cherries at the guard with my slingshot.”  
  
Thor also remembered well the number of cherries to the head he’d received before he had figured out where they were coming from. When he’d finally located Loki he hadn’t been able to reach the high branch on which Loki was perched. Loki had stayed in that tree until well after nightfall and Thor had long forgotten the transgression and gone to bed.  
  
“Well did you hit the guard?” Thor asked. Jane would probably scold him if she knew he was encouraging this behavior, but he had to know.  
  
“Of _course_ ,” Ullr replied, as if he were insulted that Thor would imply he’d missed. Thor smiled, for Ullr sounded just like Loki then.  
  
“And you climbed that tree? Impressive. I was much older than you before I dared attempt it.” It was only partially a lie; he had attempted it at Ullr’s age but had only succeeded when he was much older. “Of course your father was always excellent at climbing. And he could always hit his mark with a slingshot, so you are just like him in that regard.”  
  
“Really Uncle?” Ullr asked hopefully.  
  
“Are you doubting my word as the bearer of Mjollnir, prince of Asgard, and master of the thunder?”  
  
Ullr gave a watery smile and shook his head. Thor grinned to see the boy’s spirits returning.  
  
“You needn’t fret about this baby, Ullr. Your parents will always love you, and so will your new brother. Whether or not you can do magic is inconsequential; your brother will love you. After all, who will teach him how to climb trees? Who will teach him the best games? Who will protect him and show him how to do things properly? You will.”  
  
“Me?”  
  
“Of course. Your brother will be but a defenseless babe with no knowledge of the world, unable to rely on magic. He will need someone strong to look up to. Who else is more qualified?”  
  
“Father?” Ullr ventured.  
  
“You!” Thor corrected.  
  
Ullr was beginning to resemble more his usual sunny self.  
  
“Wow,” he marveled, “I had no idea that big brothers were that important.”  
  
“Of course you are Ullr,” Thor tousled his dark curls. “Now let us get out of this wind. I understand why you hid, but you still need to apologize to Jane. She was very upset when she couldn’t find you.”  
  
Ullr briefly pouted but nodded. With one swift movement he stood up and swung his nephew onto his back and carried him down the stairs.  
  
“Auntie Jane! I’M GOING TO BE A BIG BROTHER!” Ullr shouted in Thor’s ear when they reached the kitchen. With a wince he set the boy down. Ullr ran to the counter to snatch a cookie from a plate on the counter.  
  
“Are you? How exciting,” Jane smiled as she poured hot water in her tea mug and ignored the theft.  
  
“Uncle Thor says that big brothers have to protect their little brothers cause even though they can do magic they sometimes can’t do other things that big brothers can. And even though he can do magic that’s okay because Father is really good at climbing trees and so am I!”  
  
To her credit, Jane didn’t even blink at that rushed and slightly convoluted explanation.  
  
“Well your Uncle Thor can be very wise.” Behind Ullr Thor mouthed ‘can? ’ and gave Jane a wounded look. She smiled and looked back to Ullr.  
  
“Yes! And I also gotta teach him everything! I need to make a list!” He rushed to the door only to be stopped by Thor.  
  
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” he asked, nodding towards Jane.  
  
“Oh yeah,” Ullr turned back towards his aunt, “I am very sorry Auntie Jane for going up to the roof without permission and making you worry.”  
  
“I forgive you Ullr, but please do not do that again.”  
  
Ullr looked up at Thor for confirmation that he had done his duty correctly. At Thor’s nod he raced out of the room, presumably to make his list.  
  
“You know, you are going to be a great father,” Jane commented as she stirred her tea.  
  
Thor grinned at her “Some day,” he replied.    
  
Jane gave him a sly glance as she picked up her mug and headed back towards the lab. “Maybe sooner than you think,” floated back to him.


End file.
